Killer gets life in prison for club stabbing

Published: Wednesday, January 16, 2013 at 7:43 p.m.

Last Modified: Wednesday, January 16, 2013 at 7:43 p.m.

As the mother of a man who was stabbed to death gave a courtroom statement to his convicted murderer, he interrupted her twice to say he did not do it, the mother said.

On Wednesday, a Terrebonne Parish judge sentenced Jorell Young, 26, of Galliano, to life in prison without parole — the state-mandated sentence for those convicted of first-degree murder.

Robert LeCompte, 39, of Houma, was found dead Christmas Day 2009 in The Drama Club, a Houma gay bar. His mother, Bonnie Orgeron, was his only relative who attended the sentencing.

LeCompte was a manager at the club, and he was found dead soon after closing the business. Young was the last person with him, witnesses testified in the November trial. At the time of the murder, Young was both a former employee and former roommate of LeCompte’s. Some witnesses testified LeCompte and Young also had a past sexual relationship.

After the murder, the bar owner found that cash was missing, and prosecutors argued Young killed LeCompte in order to rob him.

The speech Orgeron gave, which she summarized over the phone Wednesday afternoon, vacillated between forgiving and angry.

Orgeron told Young she hopes he never has to bury his own children, but if he does, “then maybe you could understand what you done.”

As she said this, he interjected, “I ain’t killed your son,” but Judge John Walker cut him off, Orgeron said.

“Y’all were friends, y’all were roommates, y’all worked together, y’all was lovers,” Orgeron said. “How could you kill someone you allegedly loved? If you had asked Robert to give you money, he would have given it to you.”

At this point, he interrupted her again and said, “I didn’t kill your son,” Orgeron said.

Although Young is in the Terrebonne Parish jail, he will likely soon head to the state penitentiary in Angola, Assistant District Attorney Jason Dagate said.

“I’m happy you’ll be going to Angola,” Orgeron said she told Young. “I hope you get whatever you get each and every day.”

At the sentencing, she told him she’s working on forgiving him, but “I’ll never forget you and I’ll never forget what you did.”

She hopes he asks for forgiveness from God, she said.

“I feel a weight’s been lifted off my shoulders, but I feel I still got a little more to go,” she said of trying to forgive Young.

Staff Writer Katie Urbaszewski can be reached at 448-7617 or katie.urbaszewski@dailycomet.com.

<p>As the mother of a man who was stabbed to death gave a courtroom statement to his convicted murderer, he interrupted her twice to say he did not do it, the mother said.</p><p>On Wednesday, a Terrebonne Parish judge sentenced Jorell Young, 26, of Galliano, to life in prison without parole — the state-mandated sentence for those convicted of first-degree murder.</p><p>Robert LeCompte, 39, of Houma, was found dead Christmas Day 2009 in The Drama Club, a Houma gay bar. His mother, Bonnie Orgeron, was his only relative who attended the sentencing. </p><p>LeCompte was a manager at the club, and he was found dead soon after closing the business. Young was the last person with him, witnesses testified in the November trial. At the time of the murder, Young was both a former employee and former roommate of LeCompte's. Some witnesses testified LeCompte and Young also had a past sexual relationship. </p><p>After the murder, the bar owner found that cash was missing, and prosecutors argued Young killed LeCompte in order to rob him.</p><p>The speech Orgeron gave, which she summarized over the phone Wednesday afternoon, vacillated between forgiving and angry.</p><p>Orgeron told Young she hopes he never has to bury his own children, but if he does, “then maybe you could understand what you done.”</p><p>As she said this, he interjected, “I ain't killed your son,” but Judge John Walker cut him off, Orgeron said.</p><p>“Y'all were friends, y'all were roommates, y'all worked together, y'all was lovers,” Orgeron said. “How could you kill someone you allegedly loved? If you had asked Robert to give you money, he would have given it to you.”</p><p>At this point, he interrupted her again and said, “I didn't kill your son,” Orgeron said.</p><p>Although Young is in the Terrebonne Parish jail, he will likely soon head to the state penitentiary in Angola, Assistant District Attorney Jason Dagate said.</p><p>“I'm happy you'll be going to Angola,” Orgeron said she told Young. “I hope you get whatever you get each and every day.”</p><p>At the sentencing, she told him she's working on forgiving him, but “I'll never forget you and I'll never forget what you did.” </p><p>She hopes he asks for forgiveness from God, she said.</p><p>“I feel a weight's been lifted off my shoulders, but I feel I still got a little more to go,” she said of trying to forgive Young.</p><p>Staff Writer Katie Urbaszewski can be reached at 448-7617 or katie.urbaszewski@dailycomet.com.</p>